Tanner Richard remembers getting the call, taking the ice for warmups, and then hitting the showers.

The Syracuse Crunch center earned his first call-up to the Tampa Bay Lightning last December, but was a healthy scratch and never saw game action. Richard is looking to change that this season.

In a system that's all about high tempo play, Richard has continued to work on his skating in order to take the next step to the NHL.

"You're so close. You can't get any closer than doing the warmups and showering while the guys are walking out getting their names called," the fourth-year pro said. "You can't get any closer than that. It left a little taste in my mouth to just make it to there so that one day I can hear my name called during the game too.

"I used that for motivation this summer. I thought I had a good summer, so hopefully this year it can happen."

Tanner Richard netted his first goal of the season and the next two followed quickly.

The Crunch center rushed down on a 2-on-1, pulled up to avoid a sprawling defenseman and buried the puck over the goalie’s shoulder. Richard’s goal with 24 seconds remaining capped his first career hat trick, as Syracuse routed the Rochester Americans, 7-2, at the Onondaga County War Memorial Saturday.

“The puck was in the neutral zone and (Michael) Bournival set up a perfect trap for them, and then (Erik) Condra kind of touched it to me,” Richard said. “I wanted to go backdoor all the way — I think everyone in the building knew that — and the D-man slid to take it away, so I figured I may as well take a shot.”

Tanner Richard, Yanni Gourde, and Matthew Peca were the game's three stars. All hail Tanner Richard, your Dark Swiss Overlord of Garbage Time Hat Tricks. After a less than stellar training camp and difficult start to the season. Richard now has points in consecutive games and hopefully will take off from here. Also good to see youngsters like Peca and Adam Erne find the scoresheet. This is a veteran dominated team, but these talented youngsters are the ones who are going to push this team over the top. Also, congratulations to defenseman Dominik Masin on his first pro point.

Andrei Vasilevskiy allowed just 1 goal on 28 shots for the OT win. The lone blemish was a goal surrendered in a 6-on-4 situation with 1:05 left in regulation. If the performances of the past two nights by Gudlevskis and Vasilevskiy are any indication, Yzerman might have the flexibility he needs if he does choose to move Ben Bishop for cap reasons.

First Period
5:21 TB Johnson (1), (Palat, Nesterov)[/b]

Second Period
NO SCORING

Third Period
18:55 CAR Skinner (2), (DiGiuseppe, Rask)

Overtime
1:38 TB Palat (1), (unassisted)

Ondrej Palat and Tyler Johnson were the game's first and second stars, as the usual suspects start to calibrate their game for the regular season.

Very interesting lineup tonight from the Lightning and a pleasantly surprising performance. Tonight's group mixed in more NHL forwards, at least on the wings, but they pretty much went with Syracuse's defensive corps plus Nikita Nesterov, who may be a bubble player in this camp. It helps when you have Vasilevskiy behind you, but to almost get a shutout with that group is not too shabby.

CentersTanner Richard had 2 penalty minutes and 1 shot in 17:35. He was also 33% on 12 draws. Please, Jeff Halpern, teach these kids to win faceoffs.

Brayden Point had 4 penalty minutes and 1 shot in 16:09. He was also 33% on 9 draws. Sorry, son, you don't get to score a goal every game.

Cam Darcy had 1 hit and 1 blocked shot in 11:31 and was 30% on 10 draws. PLEASE, Jeff Halpern, teach these kids to win faceoffs.

Kristers Gudlevskis stopped all 21 shots he faced for the shutout victory. This is an excellent start for a netminder who just got a prove it contract who may have an NHL backup opportunity looming in his future once the Lightning sort out their starting situation up top.

First Period
NO SCORING

Second Period
3:54 TB Morin (1), (unassisted)

Third Period
14:48 TB Point (2), (Morin, Bournival)

Gudlevskis, Jeremy Morin, and Slater Koekkoek were the game's three stars. Kudos to the Lightning equipment guys for having the sense of humor to stick Morin in #33. He's one letter away from being a Lightning all-timer. Made me double-take, for certain.

If the Lightning preseason opener was a showcase for the team's junior prospects, tonight was an opportunity for many prospects earmarked for the Syracuse Crunch. And, on first blush, I'd think new coach Benoit Groulx will be pleased with what he saw tonight.

Centers

Matthew Peca had 2 shots and 1 blocked shot in 19:37. 90% on 10 draws is pleasing to the eye. I remain convinced that for Syracuse to go anywhere, Peca's going to have to become a big time AHL player. He'll have a little more help this season with Brayden Point in Syracuse, but as an older and more experienced guy, he's one I suspect needs to become one of the leaders for the Crunch.

Tanner Richard had 2 hits in 16:49. 13% on 8 draws is a little cringe-worthy stat line on draws. He's on the clock now to make a push and earn a look in the NHL. Not sure he really flashed enough tonight.

Brayden Point had his second goal in as many games and was +2 with 3 shots in 14:02. He was also 45% on 11 draws. The Lightning are already trying to tamp down expectations because they know Point needs seasoning and experience, but his raw talent is undeniable.

Dylan Blujus had 3 shots and 4 blocked shots in 18:34. Blujus is a guy who somewhat falls into the same boat as Richard. He needs to start making a push to challenge Witkowski to become the Lightning's first righty callup from Syracuse.

Slater Koekkoek was +1 in 16:40. The Lightning have played Koekkoek in both games, which is telling, but they've also resolved not to give him a gigantic load of minutes in these games as they might've been tempted to do. That tells me they're easing Koekkoek into a marathon rather than putting him through a sprint of a look-see.

TAMPA BAY – The Tampa Bay Lightning have resigned forwards Joel Vermin and Tanner Richard to a one-year, two-way contracts, vice president and general manager Steve Yzerman announced today.

Vermin, 24, skated in six games with the Lightning during the 2015-16 regular season, recording one assist and a plus-1 rating. He made his NHL debut on November 19 and recorded his first point on November 21 at the Anaheim Ducks. Vermin recorded a season-high for ice time on November 21 against the Ducks with 12:22.

The 5-foot-11, 192-pound forward also appeared in 37 games with the Syracuse Crunch of the American Hockey League this past season, posting nine goals and 21 points to go along with six penalty minutes. Vermin ranked 10th on the Crunch for points despite only skating in 37 games. He has played in 118 career AHL games over three seasons, all with Syracuse, recording 22 goals and 55 points.

A native of Frauenkappelen, Switzerland, Vermin was selected by the Lightning in the seventh round, 186th overall, of the 2013 NHL Draft.

Richard, 23, played in 71 games for the Crunch during the 2015-16 season, recording 11 goals and 54 points to go along with 57 penalty minutes. He ranked first on the Crunch for points and assists (43). Richard’s 71 games played also ranked second on Syracuse. The Jona, Switzerland native has appeared in 214 career AHL games, all with the Crunch over four seasons, notching 26 goals and 112 points.

The 6-foot, 195-pound forward appeared in 95 games with the Guelph Storm of the Ontario Hockey League over two seasons, posting 24 goals and 110 points. During the 2012-13 season while with the Storm, he led the team for assists with 51 and ranked second for points with 62.

Richard was selected by the Lightning in the third round, 71st overall, at the 2012 NHL Draft.

Syracuse continues to hover just on the outer edge of the playoff picture with just 11 games left in their regular season. Their 6-2-1-1 record in the last 10 games and back-to-back wins have given them a chance, but they'll need to keep up the pace to make it to the dance.